Belt-stretching mechanism



F. A. FISHBAUGH.

BELT STRETCHING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APR-3,1919.

1,353,433. I Patented Nov. 9,1920.

' latter are operated to assume UNITED STATES FRED A. FISEBAUGH, OFLONDON, OHIO.

BELT-STREECHING MECHANISM.

Application filed. April 3,

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that Finn) A. FISHBA-UGH, acitizen of the United States, residing at London, in the county ofMadison and State of ()hio, has invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Belt-Stretching Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to belt stretching mechanism, and has for itsprimary object to provide novel and eiiicient mechanism for drawing theends of a driving belt into contiguous relation so that they may besecurely laced together.

A main object of the invention is to provide mechanism of the aforesaidcharacter which may be quickly and securely connected to the ends of abelt, and includes a plurality of frames capable of being easily andquickly secured to the ends of a driving belt in order that the latterwill be securely confined within said frames, and to provide adjustingmechanism in connection with said frames which is capable of drawing thelatter relatively in order that the ends of the belt may be placed inadjacent relation.

another object of the invention resides in constructing the frames toinclude dovetail sockets for the reception of similarly shaped clampingblocks, which serve when pressure is applied to the frames to securelygrip the ends of a belt therein, and to provide a plurality of camlevers capable of engaging with said blocks to press the latter intotheir recesses or sockets and into securely bound relation with saidbelt, the cam levers being capable of being quickly operated and toexert the required pressure upon said blocks to prevent undue movementof the latter.

A further object of the invention resides in equipping the clampingblocks with sets of relatively thin metallic wear plates, each set. ofwhich having a common pivot, whereby said plates may be selectivelypositioned upon the blocks in such manner as to receive the wear of thecam levers when the locking positions. This construction enables theblocks to be relieved of the wear caused by the operation of the levers,and also, serves to permit the levers to exercise their maximumSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 287,314.

binding action upon the blocks irrespective of varying belt thicknesses.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the descriptionproceeds, the invention accordingly consists in the novel features ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of elements hereinafter morefully described and having the scope thereof pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and inwhich similar characters of reference denote. like and correspondingparts:

Figural is a topplan view of the improved belt stretching mechanismcomprising the present invention,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, and

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3- 5 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view taken along the line .h-4c ofFig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the details of the invention, the beltstretcher A in its preferred form consists of a pair of frames 1 and 2which are employed to be connected with the adjoining ends of a belt 8,in order that said ends may be drawn together to effect their lacing. Tothis end the frames are provided with oppositely situated dovetailedrecesses 4c in which the ends of the belt 3 are positioned and theseends are clamped into engagement with the frames by means .of blocks 5,which are shaped to conform with the dovetailed configuration of therecesses i and are adapted to rest upon. the ends of said'belt andcompletely occupy the recesses 4, so that the upper surfaces of saidblocks are substantially flush with those of the frames 1 and 2. To lockthe blocks within said recesses and to force the same into firm.frictional relation with the ends of the belt 3, use is made of aplurality of pivoted cam levers 6, which are pivoted as at 7 to bearings8 rigidly arising from the upper surface of said frames. These leversare formed to embody elongated handle portions 9 and have their oppositeends terminated in rounded edges 10 which terminate in substantiallystraight portions 11, whereby upon the rotation of the levers 6 the samewill assume substantially vertical positions in order that their uponthe rotation of the blocks straight portions 11 will press upon saidblockswith sufiicient pressure to bind the latter into engagement withthe belt ends. Owing to the relation existing between the portions 11and the pivots 7 of said cam levers the latter will be retained in theirvertical positions by the pressure they exercise upon said blocks andwill be, prevented from unduly rotating so that consequent loss ofpressure upon the belt ends will be prevented. Wear plates 12 arecarried by the upper surface of the blocks and upon which the pressureends of the cam levers operate, these plates prevent sa1d levers fromwearing grooves in the blocks, and thereby render the operation of thecam levers positive even after extended periods of service.

To draw the frames relatively, use is made of a pair of spaced rods 13.These rods are provided with upper threaded ends 1 1,

which operate within similarly threaded openings 15 formed in the frame1, whereby of said rods in a specified direction said frame 1 will nbemoved to ward the lower frame 2, as will be clearly understood. Thelower ends of the rods 13 are smooth or nonthreaded, and are journaledwithin bushings 16 carried by the lower frame 2, and to efiect therotation of the rods the extreme lower ends of the latter are equipped:with worm gears '17, which mesh with similar and right angularlydisposed gears 18 rotatable with a transversely situated actuating shaft19. This latter shaft is preferably journaled in bearings 20 protrudingfrom the frame 2, and has its ends equipped with crank handles 21, bymeans of which the shaft may be manually rotated to effect consequentrotation on the part of the rods 13.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingsheet of drawings it. will be apparent that there is provided a deviceof considerable utility for the purpose set forth. It is obvious thatthrough the provision of the removable blocks 5 that the frames may bereadily atends of the belt 3 and that'by the mere rotation of the camlevers ample pressure may be applied to said blocks to effect a firm andpositive hold of the frames upon said belt. Owing to the dovetailconstruction of the recesses and the blocks 5 an extremely'efiicienthold is secured upon the belt ends, as the tendency on part ofthe belt ends to separate is compensated for by the wedging action onpart 5. Through the provision of the worm controlled actuatingmechanism, the frames may be quickly operated toassumevarious relativepositions, and the use of worm gears in this particular structure is ofdecided advantage, in view of the fact thatthe gears permit'of theapplication of rods 13 in order provided. These belt when pressure isbeing applied thereto, and in conclusion effectlve means are providedfor controlling the relative positions of said frames. In the presentadaptation of the invention it has been simply found necessary to threadthe upper ends of the that the frames may be drawn together or apart,but it is obvious that the lower portions of said rods may also bethreaded to permit ofquicker operation on part of the frames withoutdeparting from the spirit or intent of the invention.

In order to compensate for belts of difv and to render the. actionpositive under all condiof the wear plates 12 are ferent thicknesses, ofthe cam levers tions, a plurality common pin-22 and are capable ofindependentmovement, so that when a belt of considerable thickness iscarried by the frame, one or more of each set of these plates 12 may beswung to such they will not engage with the cam levers. Thisconstruction has the desirable effect of maintaining the wear plates ata constant level irrespective of the varying thickness of the belts towhich the device is attached, and thus renders the clamping mechanismthereof effective and reliable at all times.

What I claim is: i

1. In a belt stretcher, a pair of spaced clamping frames arranged toreceive the op-- posed ends of a belt, said frames including upper andlower members between which the belt ends are adapted to be clamped, camlevers for locking the upper members to the lower members pivotallycarried by said lower members and arranged upon oscilla- 131011170 forcesa1d upper members into belt holding engagement with the lower mem--pivotally posed ends of a belt,said frames including separable upper andlower members between which the belt ends are arranged to be clamped,cam levers pivotally carried by said lower members and arranged when inpositions so that plates are pivoted upon a active positions to forcesaid upper members the wear of said levers maybe received by into lockedengagement with said lower said plates and to permit the levers .to be10 members, and a plurality of sets of pivotally rendered effectiveirrespective of belt thickmounted Wear plates carried by said uppernesses, and means for effecting relative members, each of said setshaving a common movement on the part of said frames.

pivot, the latter being so located as toper- In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature. mit said plates to be selectively moved to positionsbeneath said cam lever, whereby FRED A. FISHBAUGH.

